


Talk to Me

by IcyPanther



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Black Paladin Keith (Voltron), Communication, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), Lack of Communication, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Leader Keith (Voltron), Protective Keith (Voltron), Red Paladin Lance (Voltron), Voltron Lion Swap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28724604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IcyPanther/pseuds/IcyPanther
Summary: “I know I’m your pilot,” Lance said, voice growing even softer and Keith had to strain to hear him, “but… but I get the feeling that… that you don’t really want me.” He audibly swallowed. “You want Keith back, don’t you?”---Keith overhears Lance talking to the Red Lion and questioning his place on the team. And while he knows he’s not the best with words… he’s the leader now.  He was Red's former Paladin. And he’s going to try to fix this.
Relationships: Keith & Lance (Voltron), Keith & Red Lion (Voltron), Lance & Red Lion (Voltron)
Comments: 64
Kudos: 415





	Talk to Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Solar_Litost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solar_Litost/gifts).



> **Timeline notes:** early season three  
>  **Warning notes:** none

“—lease just… just talk to me.” 

Keith drew up short on his way to the shuttle bay where he’d volunteered to help Coran unload the recent grocery cargo, as Lance’s voice echoed from inside the Red Lion’s hangar.

There was a quiet, pleading note to it he wasn’t sure he’d ever heard from Lance before and it made Keith’s stomach clench because it sounded…

It sounded so _small._

He gave a small shake of his head.

Not his business and he wasn’t someone who eavesdropped. Whatever problem Lance had with one of the team he was going to have to resolve it himself. Besides, Keith gave a small roll of his shoulders, anything Keith said would undoubtedly make it worse.

He started walking again.

“I know you can hear me,” Lance continued. “And, and I’m listening.”

No one answered him.

Keith frowned.

That didn’t sound like it was a conversation between Lance and another member of the team.

Keith peeked around the doorframe.

Lance was sitting cross legged in the middle of the hanger and staring up at the Red Lion.

Oh.

That…

That made a lot more sense.

Keith backed away.

He knew all about Lion troubles. He was still finding it difficult to pilot Black. Not only were her controls and abilities different, and the slow speed was still forcing him to readjust constantly in fights, but her temperament was far different than Red’s and she was…

Quieter.

More solemn, reserved.

More responsible.

All, Keith’s lips quirked, qualities of a leader. 

It wasn’t a bad thing, but it was definitely taking some getting used to, as were the images she used to communicate whereas Red had been all feeling and passion and impulse and Keith had felt her thrum through his veins like the fire she made and it had made him feel _alive._

He missed it. 

He missed that freedom. 

But Shiro had wanted him to be leader, the Black Lion had chosen him, and he would do his best because Shiro believed in him and he would never stop believing in Shiro.

“But,” Lance’s voice jolted him back to the present, “you need to listen to me too. We’re a team… right?”

There was a hesitancy there and Keith’s frown returned.

“I know I’m your pilot,” Lance said, voice growing even softer and Keith had to strain to hear him, “but… but I get the feeling that… that you don’t really want me.” He audibly swallowed. “You want Keith back, don’t you?”

Keith’s eyes widened.

What? 

“I don’t blame you,” Lance continued. “He’s, he’s an amazing pilot. And I’m…” Lance swallowed again.

Even unsaid Keith heard the ‘not’ loud and clear.

He felt his stomach clench again.

This wasn’t right.

He shouldn’t be here, listening to this.

He couldn’t seem to walk away.

“And I’m sorry you got stuck with me. I’m trying though, I really am. I just…” Lance bowed his head. “I’m just not good enough.” He let out a laugh that was anything but humorous. “I’ve never been good enough though, have I? If, if it wasn’t for Keith getting kicked out I’d never have made fighter pilot. And, and even when I did all anyone could do was compare us. And going from the best pilot since Shiro to me?” Lance let out another too bitter laugh. “No wonder they were always so disappointed. They got stuck with the cargo pilot.”

Cargo pilot.

The words echoed in Keith’s head.

That’s what he’d called Lance.

He’d… he’d never realized how much it had apparently hurt him.

How being in the cargo class had apparently hurt and then… then for all those people to compare them?

He hadn’t known that.

And, he winced, he knew that a lot of the commanders and teachers there didn’t hold back their opinions and he also knew that he had been the most talented pilot — perhaps even moreso than Shiro, although he disagreed with that assessment — they’d had in their ranks, but even that hadn’t been enough to save him from expulsion after punching Iverson.

He still didn’t regret that. That wasn’t the Galaxy Garrison Shiro had gotten him into and he would not let them tarnish Shiro’s name.

But he did regret calling Lance a cargo pilot now. 

Lance let out a sigh and gave a shake of his head. “Sorry. I, I know none of this really matters to you. I just… I thought Voltron would be different. I mean, it was different. Is different. Like, I know I’m the weak link of the team, but I am a pretty good shot.”

A far cry from Lance constantly bragging in front of them he was the best sharpshooter in the world.

“And that has to mean something, right?” Lance continued. “Obviously I don’t really get to use it that much since we don’t really do stealth missions, but… but I could, if they needed me to. Anyways, um,” his hand went to the back of his head, “I’m sorry for bothering you with all this. I just… I really want us to work together, you know? Be a team?”

Red said nothing, as Keith knew she physically wouldn’t, but…

But based on Lance’s soft, defeated sigh there had been no contact of any kind.

And that…

That wasn’t okay. 

“Well, um, good talk.” He put his hands on the ground, getting ready to push himself up and that was Keith’s cue to go, making his escape before Lance became aware he’d had an observer.

But as he gathered up the groceries he knew that couldn’t be the end of this.

And…

Keith swallowed.

He had some things to say about it.

xxx

“Red.”

Keith’s voice echoed in the darkened hangar, hours after he'd overheard Lance.

Bright yellow eyes lit up the space a second later and there was a _creak_ as metal joints shifted as his former Lion looked down at him.

Keith sent that thought again.

Former.

Fire rippled through his veins — anger and longing and frustration all mixed with sparks of joy that he was here — and Keith narrowed his eyes at her even as his heart twisted.

He missed her too.

But… 

“You have a new Paladin now,” he told her. “You know that.”

She _roared_ in his mind, angry.

But…

But not that Lance was her Paladin.

She _had_ chosen him, had she not? He could feel her arrogance in that and he bit back a smile because of course she knew best. She would not pick someone who wasn’t worthy.

Then that meant…

“You’re not angry he’s your Paladin,” he said slowly. “And you’re not angry that he’s not me…?”

He could feel her scowl.

Of course not.

She missed him, but the Black Lion had chosen and chosen well.

She was _proud._

Keith’s lips curled into a soft smile. “Thank you.”

He felt her nuzzle, hot and sometimes a little painful but protective and fierce, against his mind and he leaned into it.

But…

This still didn’t answer his questions about Lance. 

Lance, who was eager to prove himself— 

His eyes widened.

“You’re not expecting him to jump out into open space to prove himself, are you?” he asked, hands going to his hips. “Red, that’s insane.”

He wasn’t wrong, he realized, as she did not refute him. He wasn’t entirely right either though.

His brow furrowed, trying to puzzle it out. 

He’d had to prove himself to Red. Lance hadn’t had to do that, she’d chosen him as he was. Which meant it wasn’t who Lance was, but…

“I don’t understand,” he admitted.

Red _roared,_ sending flames dancing in his mind and Keith grit his teeth at the heat but he didn’t pull back as he knew Red wouldn’t actually hurt him.

But…

But Lance didn’t.

He’d been with the Blue Lion before, cool water and waves, peace and gentleness. He was, when he wasn’t being a jerk and trying to force his rivalry on Keith, amicable, friendly, and _kind._ He (unless it was Keith, and now knowing what he knew of the whole Garrison cargo-fighter pilot debacle he thought he understood) didn’t like confrontation. Despite his bravado and constant claims of wanting to be the leader he would always be the first to protect someone, to take a hit.

A shield.

A shield of water and ice.

He was the complete opposite of fire.

Lance was passionate and fierce, but those traits showed themselves in different ways than what fire typically tended to do. And not only that, the ease to which Lance had put himself down, had viewed himself as lacking...

It hurt Red, the proudest Lion of them all. 

She saw him as someone worthy.

And Lance didn’t see himself as enough. 

And he’d never be able to truly communicate with her until he took pride in himself.

Red purred in his mind, gentle flames wrapping around him.

“I understand,” he said quietly. “I’ll talk to him. Thank you, Red.”

She nuzzled him again and then lifted her head, eyes dulling back to dim. 

Keith smiled up at her.

And he headed for Lance’s room.

xxx

Lance, in pajamas, opened the door on the third knock, confusion clear as he saw Keith.

“We need to talk,” Keith said, stepping past Lance and into his room.

“Well gee, come right on in,” Lance said, shaking his head. “Not like I was about to go to sleep or anything.”

Despite the tone Keith could see the way his arms were folding — defensively? — against his chest while his brow was creasing with worry. “Is everything okay?” 

“I heard you,” Keith said bluntly, cutting right to it.

“I’m sorry?” Lance raised an eyebrow. “I finished playing a video game with Pidge a bit ago but I didn’t think we were that loud. You weren’t asleep already, were you?” he eyed Keith’s clothes, clearly not pajamas, but there was a pinch of guilt now in his eyes. “I—”

“Talking to Red,” Keith clarified before this went anymore off track and realizing he probably should have done that to begin with.

Lance’s cheeks immediately darkened and his arms dropped to his sides.

But if Keith had been expecting anger or confrontation he didn’t get it.

Instead Lance looked down, eyes averted.

“Oh,” was all he said.

Dousing the flames indeed. 

“I want to talk to you—”

“What’s there to talk about?” Lance interrupted, still not meeting Keith’s eyes. “We… we both know the truth.”

“Which is what?”

Lance looked up at that, eyes flashing.

Fiery. 

“You want me to say it again? Fine. I’m not good enough to be a Paladin. I don’t offer anything to the team. Red doesn’t even want—”

“Don’t put words in her mouth,” Keith interrupted that time. “Red never said that.”

Lance’s eyes widened.

But then…

“She…” his voice was so _small,_ “she talks to you?”

Well fuck.

But Keith wasn’t going to get distracted by this, even if it made his stomach clench uncomfortably.

He was going to fix this.

“Yes,” Keith said. “And she’s trying to talk to you too.”

Lance looked up again, the barest sheen to his eyes.

“You said we both know the truth,” Keith said quietly. “And if that’s the case, then you should know that if you weren’t qualified you’d never have been made a fighter pilot at the Garrison.”

“That’s not—”

“And there’s nothing wrong with being a cargo pilot either,” Keith continued. “Because the Blue Lion didn’t care about any of that when she chose you to pilot her.”

“Well, Blue—”

“And the Red Lion,” Keith kept going, “would never have let you pilot her if she didn’t find you worthy. You’re her Paladin now, Lance. All you need to do is believe it.”

Lance was quiet.

“I… I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Keith,” he said after a moment, voice soft. “I really do. And it’s,” his lips pulled into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “very leader-y of you. But… but Red had to choose me. If she didn’t we couldn’t form Voltron and—”

“That’s not true,” Keith cut in. “Well, yeah, we couldn’t form Voltron. But Red didn’t have to choose you. _You_ already had a Lion, Lance. And it was Allura who first tried to become Red’s Paladin after Black chose me. Remember?”

Based on the widening of Lance’s eyes he hadn’t. 

“Red didn’t accept Allura,” Keith continued, knowing full well how much Lance admired the princess.“But she did accept you. And she wouldn’t have done so unless she believed you could pilot her. And you _can._ You just… you just need to believe in yourself. That’s what Red is looking for, that’s why you’re having trouble communicating. She’s proud, Lance. And, and she wants her pilot to take pride in themselves too.”

“Really?” Lance whispered.

“Really,” Keith nodded. 

Lance looked down again though.

“She misses you,” Lance said softly.

“I know,” Keith agreed and Lance’s shoulders curled slightly in. “Just as I’m sure Blue misses you. This change it’s… it’s been hard on all of us.”

Lance’s mouth formed a small ‘o,’ realization dawning.

“You know,” he said quietly. “You’re… you really are a good leader, Keith.”

Keith felt his cheeks heat.

“Thank you,” Lance smiled at him, genuine that time. 

“You’re welcome,” Keith said and Lance let out a soft huff of laughter and his smile grew and Keith felt his own form.

And maybe…

Maybe Shiro’s belief and Red’s pride in him weren’t misplaced after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday, Violet! I hope you have a wonderful birthday and a wonderful year! This is based on one of your Secret Santa prompts (insecure Lance with Keith) from my event and I'm still so sorry you never received your gift from that. I hope this can help make up for it ♥ (please pardon any spelling errors; I wrote it in a couple hours and wanted to get it up asap before the day ended. I'll be checking back through it tomorrow :))
> 
> This will be the last planned one-shot fic I'm posting here (you can find details on my tumblr which platform I'm moving to) so I hope everyone else enjoyed this unexpected little fic ♥ If you did and have a moment after reading it would mean a lot to hear from you in the comments. A comment is the best way to say 'thanks' and show appreciation to an author for sharing their works ♥ Thank you!
> 
> 💥 **(Like my works? Want to read even MORE? Visit my[Tumblr, icypantherwrites](https://icypantherwrites.tumblr.com) for details.)💥**  
> 


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